Sderot Residents Protest Against Rocket Barrage

Fed up residents take the streets, demanding that the government 'destroy Hamas' and stop its rain of rockets.

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Yoni Kempinski, Ari Yashar, 03/07/14 19:35

Sderot protest

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Around 100 residents of the rocket-battered Sderot located just west of Gaza protested on Thursday at the entrance to the city, in response to the rapidly deteriorating security situation and after two direct hits on buildings were recorded since Wednesday night.

Protesters bore signs reading "destroy the Hamas regime in Gaza," "let the IDF win," and "kill first the one who comes to kill you," a precept of the Jewish sages. They called on the government to launch a wide-ranging military mission in Gaza to cease the constant rocket-fire.

Over 30 rockets have been fired from Gaza in the last two days; one building was hit directly overnight, and later on Thursday a Kassam rocket fired by terrorists in Gaza hit a summer day camp moments before children were set to arrive.

Arutz Sheva was on scene at the protest to capture video footage of the angry residents.

At the end of the clip, protesters can be heard chanting "Hanin Zoabi go home, Hanin Zoabi go to Gaza," referring to the radical Arab MK who justified the kidnapping of the three Israeli teens who were murdered by Hamas terrorists.

Earlier on Thursday, Sderot Mayor Alon Davidi spoke to the residents of the city, saying "I want to strengthen your hands and your spirits. As a strong homefront we are an exemplary example for all Israeli citizens."

"We trust that the prime minister, the defense mininster and the IDF will know to give a clear answer to the problem and to end this saga once and for all. The IDF is a strong army, and with a homefront as strong as you, the IDF is even stronger," said Davidi.

Deputy Defense Minister Danny Danon and Finance Minister Yair Lapid visited Sderot on Thursday as well, with Lapid said no "sane country" would tolerate such a situation, and Danon calling on the government to "do whatever it takes to destroy the Hamas organization."

The statements comes as Israel carried out a troop deployment of reserve officers at the "headquarter, not field level" near the Gaza border on Thursday, and as rockets from the Hamas enclave continue to fall in a recent escalation of attacks.

Sderot's industrial area took a harsh blow on Saturday night, when a direct hit was recorded on a plastics factory, burning it completely to the ground.

Below can be seen pictures from the protest at the entrance to Sderot: